Paranoid Park

Paranoid Park follows Alex, a troubled Portland teenager and skateboarder who becomes haunted by his involvement in the accidental death of a security guard near a local skate park. Gus Van Sant tells the story through a fractured, dreamlike narrative, blending Super 8 footage with lush cinematography to reflect Alex's disoriented psychological state. The film is a quiet, introspective meditation on guilt, adolescence, and the burden of carrying an unspeakable secret.

• Directed by Gus Van Sant, based on Blake Nelson's 2006 novel.
• Non-professional actor Gabe Nevins was cast via MySpace.
• Film uses a fragmented, non-linear narrative structure throughout.
• Cinematographer Christopher Doyle shot portions on Super 8 film.
• Soundtrack features Nino Rota and Elliott Smith songs.

• Sometimes things happen that you can't explain. You just have to deal with it.
• Have you ever been to a place where everything feels perfectly still inside?
• Paranoid Park. Once you knew about it, you couldn't unknow it.
• It wasn't my fault. Or was it? I still don't know.
• Some things, once they're in your head, you can never get them out.